Underground fire continues after deadly blasts at mine in northern Russia

Russian Emergencies Minister said it would take at least one month to stabilize the situation at the Severnaya mine

VORKUTA, February 29. /TASS/. Underground fire continues at the Severnaya coal mine in Vorkuta, northern Russia, after a series of explosions that have killed dozens of miners, Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov told reporters on Monday.

"Now the fire continues, the situation is difficult," Puchkov said, adding that no works underground are being conducted. Experts will later unveil decisions of future technological works at the mine.

A methane gas leak at the Severnaya coal mine in Vorkuta on February 25 triggered two explosions and rock collapse followed by a fire. There were 111 miners underground at the time of the blast at a depth of 780 meters, with 81 of them recovered to the surface. Bodies of four miners were found at the accident scene. The fate of 26 miners remained unknown and there has been no contact with them since the time of the blasts.

A third blast hit the mine early on Sunday during a search effort, killing five rescuers and one mine worker. Another five persons were injured.

A total of 36 people are believed to have died in the coal mine accident, Deputy Prime Minister Dvorkovich said on Sunday. Puchkov earlier said it would take at least one month to stabilize the situation at the Severnaya mine.

Source: ITAR-TASS 29-02-2016

Work suspended at blast-stricken coal mine in northern Russia

Russia’s Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov called on the management to solve all issues so that the staff members are provided with jobs

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. Work has been suspended for a long time at the Severnaya coal mine in Vorkuta in northern Russia where at least four miners were killed in blasts, Russia’s Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said on Saturday.

"Time will be needed to complete the search and rescue works, to resume life support system of the coal mine and other technological operations," the minister told a meeting at the mine.

The minister called on the management to solve all issues so that the staff members are provided with jobs.

A methane outburst occurred at the mine at the depth of 780 meters on Thursday afternoon. Two explosions caused rock collapse and fire later occurred at the scene, the Vorkutaugol company that owns the mine said.

A total of 110 people were trapped underground and eight of them were directly at the accident scene. Some 80 miners were evacuated in the first hours. Eight of them sought medical assistance and four were hospitalized. 

Four miners were confirmed dead and the fate of 26 miners remains unknown.

All parts of the coal mine where the miners might be trapped have been searched. Rescuers have been unable so far to reach an area of around 6,300 kilometers.

Source: ITAR-TASS 28-02-2015

Kiev forces fire mortar shells at northern suburb of Donetsk overnight

Kiev forces also used grenade launchers and small arms.

MOSOW, February 27. /TASS/. Ukraine’s forces shelled from mortars the territory of the airport and Volvo Center in the northern suburb of Donetsk overnight, a source in law enforcement agencies of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic said on Saturday.

"At around 10.30 p.m. Ukrainian forces opened fire from mortars with the calibers of 82 and 120 mm on the territory of the airport. Simultaneously, the forces began shelling the area of Volvo Center," the source said.

The shelling was carried out from the positions in the villages Pesky and Opytnoye. Kiev forces also used grenade launchers and small arms, he added.

Last night, two militia members from the DPR were injured in the shellings of the western suburbs of Donetsk.

 
Source: ITAR-TASS 27-02-2016

Ukrainian nationalistic fighters shelled the LPR 3 times overnight

Ukraine’s forces shelled militias’ positions in the Lugansk People’s Republic three times overnight, the LPR defense ministry said on Friday.

The shelling targeted an area near the Kalinovka village, to the northwest of Lugansk. The forces opened fire from an infantry combat vehicle and small arms from the positions near the Luganskoye village.

“Three are no casualties,” a spokesman for militias told the LuganskInformCenter.

In mid-January, at the Minsk meeting of the Contact Group on settling the crisis in Ukraine’s southeast the sides agreed to declare ceasefire from January 14. This is the seventh attempt since autumn 2014 to fully observe the ceasefire in Donbass. The Ukrainian forces and militias of the  republics have repeatedly accused each other of violating ceasefire.

 
Source: Novorossia Today 26-02-2016

Two civilians wounded in the suburb of Donetsk, and child got concussion as a result of shelling by UAF, Basurin

Two civilians got wounded in time of the shelling by Ukrainian fighters of the Kuybishevskiy district of Donetsk. Child got concussion when Zaytsevo in Gorlovka was shelled. It was reported to DAN by the DPR deputy Command-In-Chief Eduard Basurin.

‘Two civilians were wounded in the Kuybishevskiy district of Donetsk’, Eduard Basurin reported.

‘It became known that a boy of 10 years old suffered in the village Zaytsevo as a result of shelling by Ukrainian Armed Forces. He has serious concussion and brain commotion’, it was pointed out by the representative of the DPR Defence Ministry.

At about 10 pm, Ukrainian nationalistic fighteres restarted shelling Kuybishevskiy district. The hostility used mortars. They conducted shelling from occupied settlement Peski.

Source: Novorossia Today 25-02-2016